SATURDAY, JULY 18th

Tolland, Massachusetts

1pm-5pm

The annual mid-summer croquet tournament at The Wicket Grounds in Tolland, Massachusetts will be held Saturday, July 18, with nine wicket fun for backyard and advanced players ages 13 and up. These free events occur on the old Clark homestead's dedicated croquet grounds where the sound of mallet on ball has been heard since 1935.

Tolland history writer Joseph Clark III and his family hosts this annual event which runs from 1 to 5 PM. Using the "individual one ball" or "Cutthroat" method of group play, entrants play a series of games on lawns of differing skills accumulating wicket points along the way toward the goal of competing on the difficult center court for the championship round. Prizes for the top four point scorers will be awarded.

This is an organized, but unrated competition adhering to rules for nine wickets of The United States Croquet Association with some local variations. Referees on the courts and skilled participants guild the new players on the familiar 9 wicket array. Bring a lawn chair and a mallet, but most players prefer to use a mallet from the many stored here.

Croquet in one form or another has been a traditional mainstay on American home lawns and public parks since The Civil War. Always subject to the popular whims and fancy of the day, croquet in New England especially has become virtually unknown to a whole generation of Americans. Here it has faded into a cult gathering of "mallet heads" while at the same time modern six wicket matches and tournaments continue in other parts of the USA and has spread to near eastern foreign lands as well.

This is a friendly croquet event and is free to all regular and occasional players in an attempt to restore this most traditional American sport and past time to its former glory.

PICTURES

We've hosted over 100 matches over the years and invite you to join us for this great American past time.